Numismatic

1908 Barber Half Dollar VG

---

The 1908 Barber half dollar represents a classic era of United States silver coinage. Struck with a purity of 90 percent silver, this fifty-cent piece contains 0.3575 troy ounces of precious metal. It was minted in Philadelphia, carrying no mint mark, and survives today in a worn yet highly recognizable Very Good condition, showing the honest wear of a coin that circulated actively in the early twentieth century. Designed by Charles Barber, the obverse of the coin presents a dignified profile of Lady Liberty. She wears a traditional Phrygian cap underneath a classical laurel wreath, with the word Liberty visible on her headband. The date 1908 is anchored at the bottom of the design, below the portrait. On the reverse, a powerful eagle dominates the field with its wings spread wide. A protective shield is positioned across the bird's chest, while its beak firmly grasps a decorative banner. In its talons, the eagle clutches a symbolic pairing of a leafy olive branch and a bundle of arrows, representing both peace and defense. The legend on this side displays the denomination as half dollar.